CLOSE
Columns

by -
0 1322
New York State Map of Counties
Editor’s note: A March 31 court decision update is at the end of article.

By Lisa Scott

For New York State voters in 2022, redistricting is controversial, complex and changing. 

Gerrymandering is the intentional distortion of political districts to give one party an advantage. For decades in most states, the majority party in the state legislature drew maps for congressional and state legislature districts which would cement that party’s power for 10 years (until the next census). Nationally, gerrymandering has been criticized for disenfranchising many voters and fueling deeper polarization.

In New York State, voters in 2014 approved a constitutional  amendment which established an independent redistricting commission effective after the 2020 census. This amendment was presented as a way to create fair congressional and state senate and state assembly districts, keeping communities together and representation to minority areas to more fairly give all a voice through their elected officials. At the time, good government groups were divided about the amendment’s wording and potential effect … either a “step in the right direction” or “fake reform.”

In 2021, the newly formed NYS Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) traveled throughout New York State to hold numerous public hearings for input on the map lines that the commission would draw. Unfortunately the IRC was divided equally along partisan lines, and Republican and Democratic commissioners each submitted their own maps to the state legislature and were unable to submit the single plan required by the amendment.  

This failure of the IRC threw the district mapping back into the hands of the legislature (both the senate and assembly have Democratic supermajorities) and the legislature’s final 2022 district lines resulted in more districts with strong Democratic-leaning voters. Republicans then filed a lawsuit in Steuben County (upstate NY) which  threw the 2022 NYS election calendar into potential chaos as it moved through the court system. 

A judge did rule to allow this year’s maps/elections to take place as scheduled, but if Republicans win the suit it appears that there will be a repeat election for NYS Senate and Assembly in 2023 with newer district maps. This would result in state legislative elections in three consecutive years — 2022, 2023 and 2024. 

There has been concern and controversy about the congressional lines in Suffolk (CD 1, 2 and 3) whose boundaries have significantly changed. Some elected legislators no longer live in their districts, and there has been “packing” (concentrating the opposing party’s voting power in one district to reduce their voting power in other districts) and “cracking” (diluting the voting power of the opposing party’s supporters across many districts). Cracking was most evident regarding the Town of Smithtown, which is divided among 3 congressional districts, and the community of Gordon Heights, which does not have the single representative that they advocated for at many public hearings in 2021. 

Although the next Suffolk County Legislature elections will not be held until 2023, redistricting for the SC Legislature is mired in controversy as well. Legislators of both parties did not nominate representatives to a county redistricting commission in 2021. The Democratic majority therefore drew maps and passed legislation to create the new districts. 

Lawsuits were filed and County Executive  Bellone vetoed the bill in early 2022. A new independent/bipartisan redistricting commission is expected to start work in April 2022. Remember that your current Suffolk County legislator will represent you until January 1, 2024. Once the Suffolk legislative maps are drawn and approved, voting in the primaries and general election for those seats will occur in 2023 (not this year). 

The bottom line for Suffolk County voters? Find your new congressional and state assembly and senate districts at https://newyork.redistrictingandyou.org. Voting in your new district takes effect with the 2022 primaries and general election. However your current representative in Congress and the state legislature will represent you until January 1, 2023.

As you can see, redistricting after the 2020 census has become controversial, complex, and changing. Today’s “rules” may be overruled by court decisions. Dates may change. Districts may be redrawn. Or nothing will change until 2030!

Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860.

————————————————————-

Judge rejects New York’s redistricting plan, orders new maps

By Michelle L. Price | AP

Thursday March 31, 2022

NEW YORK — A judge has ordered New York’s Democrat-controlled Legislature to quickly redraw the state’s congressional and legislative districts after finding they were unconstitutional.

Judge Patrick McAllister said in a Thursday ruling that maps redrawing the state’s congressional districts were gerrymandered to benefit Democrats. McAllister said those districts must be redrawn, along with the legislative districts, in a way that attracted at least some bipartisan support.

McAllister, a state trial court judge, gave lawmakers until April 11 to try again. If their new maps fail to pass muster in the courts again, the judge said he would order the state to pay for a court-approved expert to redraw the maps.

Legislative leaders said they would appeal the ruling.

“This is one step in the process. We always knew this case would be decided by the appellate courts. We are appealing this decision and expect this decision will be stayed as the appeal process proceeds,” said Mike Murphy, spokesman for the Senate majority.

A message seeking comment from the governor’s office was not immediately returned.

The state’s primary elections are scheduled June 28 and candidates have already begun campaigning in the new districts.

The judge said that if the Legislature fails again and an outside expert is hired to draw the maps, the process would be expensive and lengthy and may leave the state without maps before Aug. 23, the last possible date that the state could push back its primary election.

Republicans had argued in a lawsuit that the maps were unconstitutionally gerrymandered to benefit Democrats and marginalize GOP voters.

Former GOP U.S. Rep. John Faso, a spokesperson for the Republicans who filed the lawsuit challenging the maps, said Democrats willingly violated a prohibition on partisan gerrymandering.

“This is a victory for the people of the state and it’s a victory for competitive and fair elections in New York State,” Faso said.

Legislative and congressional boundaries are being redrawn as part of the once-per-decade redistricting process kicked off by the 2020 Census.

The maps, drafted by lawmakers and approved by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, ensured that Democrats made up a strong majority of registered voters in 22 of the 26 congressional districts the state will have for a decade.

Republicans currently hold eight of New York’s 27 seats in Congress.

In early March, McAllister said at a hearing that he didn’t think there was enough time to redraw the maps before the June primary. But the judge said he would issue a decision by April 4 about whether to uphold or strike down the maps.

The legal challenge in New York is among a series of disputes over redistricting playing out in states around the country.

by -
0 317

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

We’ve only visited The Fly, a grassy area behind Audubon Park in New Orleans that sits along the edge of the Mississippi River, four times, and yet we can’t possibly travel to the Crescent City without stopping there.

A wide open space that draws students from nearby Tulane and Loyola universities, residents of all ages, screeching seagulls and supersized cormorants that look like genetically altered cousins of Long Island’s water foul, The Fly has hosted some of our most enjoyable visits to see our freshman son in college.

The first time we walked to The Fly, our son was in that miserable, confusing, bees-buzzing-around-his-overlong-hair state when he wasn’t sure where he wanted to attend college and when everything, particularly enthusiastic parents, was irritating.

We had to wait what seemed like forever in searing heat for a freight train with endless cars to cross in front of us to climb over a small hill and reach The Fly. The endless train took so long to pass at a snail’s pace that my son and I sat down on dry grass, while my wife took a few pictures. We tried to keep the moment light, even though our son felt the weight of college uncertainty on his broad shoulders.

When the gates finally went up and we crossed the tracks, the first thing I noticed was the relief the refreshing gusts of wind that came off the river provided.

As we approached the water, we passed young families sitting on blankets and eating picnic lunches, college students playing “never have I ever” games and birds lifting off and circling the shoreline of the river, using their bodies as kites in the swirling winds.

The open green space between the back of the zoo at Audubon Park and the river energized my son and me, calling to us to play.

As we inched closer to the pathway near the river, we stared into the active water, which looked as busy as a bustling city. The main current in the middle traveled one way, while swirling eddies circled near the shore.

Sitting on a sturdy wooden bench, we soaked in the scene and could see our son’s shoulders lower and his breathing slow. The water show helped allay any anxiety he had about class assignments, making friends, learning about a new place, or living far from home.

An ocean going cargo ship passed within 100 feet of us. These enormous ships, sometimes pulled by muscular tugboats, seemed impossibly close, acting like an outdoor theater with an oversized screen.

During several other visits to The Fly, we have delighted in the unexpected. Once, we brought a football and ran patterns in a heavy but warm rain while my wife watched comfortably from the car. Playing on an empty, soggy field with my son made me feel as if I were jogging through the fountain of youth.

While the Fly has become one of my favorite places to visit, I have increasingly come to see settings as much more than backdrops for life and action: they have become like characters, encouraging, inspiring, challenging and reviving us. Like the salty smell of West Meadow Beach, they can also give us the chance to travel through time in our minds, reminding us of earlier visits and the people who traveled with us through life to these locations.

Our son has visited The Fly several times over the last few months. He has taken short videos of the moving water, the frolicking birds, and that first wooden bench where we shared a respite from the college process. The videos he sends are a short visit with him and our friend The Fly.

by -
0 389
METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Since the news lately has been so grim, I want us to share something of a lighter tone. Have you ever thought about your earliest memories? How far back can you go? Do you remember what your parents looked like when they were younger? Do you recall outings they took you on and how that worked out? What spotlight can you shine back on the farthest points in your life?

The first that comes to my mind is the fun I had sledding in Central Park one day with my dad. The hill at 84th Street and Fifth Avenue looks pretty modest to me now, but then I thought it was alpine. The weather must have been very cold because my dad, who was almost never cold, was wearing his rough woolen grey overcoat. We had a Frequent Flyer long red sled that he carried easily to the park by holding onto one of the runners. He then pulled it over the snow behind us by a rope attached to the handles as we trudged upward.

When we reached the top, he lay down on the sled, his legs dangling over the back, and I climbed on top of him, holding onto his collar with all my strength as he pushed off and we flew at incredible speed down the frozen snow. I can still feel the pellets of ice thrown up by the runners stinging my cheeks and the wind howling alongside as my dad steered among the other children and parents who had also come out to enjoy the white miracle of snow in the city. When we got to the bottom and slowly came to a halt, we laughed triumphantly and tumbled off the sled to go back up and do it all over again.

Later that afternoon, on the way home, my dad motioned for me to get on the sled so that he could pull me the several blocks until we returned to our apartment. Except for narrow shoveled pathways, the streets were hard-packed with snow. I remember telling him that I was too heavy and being puzzled by his laugh. Then his expression turned sober as he assured me that I truly wasn’t too heavy. I did get on and rode home. 

I remember my mother teaching me to read. I could recognize the letters from the Alphabet Song she had taught me, but I had been pestering her for more. My dad read newspapers, my mother read reports from work, and I wanted to read, too. So she sat down with me on the side of my bed and explained that just like the Alphabet Song that we sang, if I could put the sounds of the letters together, they spelled out a word. Then she opened a book, and prompted me to sound out each letter of the word she was pointing to. As I did that, I suddenly yelled out the word and understood. It was an epiphany for me. I could read the word. Any word. All the words. I began trying to read everything in sight, again pestering my mother when the sounds didn’t make sense. And to this day, reading is one of the greatest pleasures of my life.

The last early memory I will share with you would probably embarrass my mother if she were here with us. But she isn’t, and I will tell. My brother was almost 14 years older, and there was no one in between. I heard my mother asked more than once by lady friends how it was that after all that time, I arrived. She would reply, “Leah was an accident.”

I thought about that for a while, tried to understand, then finally came up with a satisfactory explanation. It went something like this. One day my mother was crossing Second Avenue, a heavily trafficked road I was familiar with, and was hit by a truck. And there I was.

Little did I know that I had invented binary fission, the means by which amoeba reproduce. After I checked that out with my mother, she never again uttered those words.

by -
0 1701
Heather Lynch Photo courtesy of Rolf Sjogren/ National Geographic

By Daniel Dunaief

To borrow from the Pink song in the movie Happy Feet, the Pew Trusts for Marine Conservation recently delivered “something good” to Stony Brook University’s Heather Lynch. 

Endowed chair for ecology and evolution at Stony Brook University’s Institute for Advanced Computational Science, Lynch was selected as one of six Pew Fellows in Marine Conservation.

Lynch, who uses a host of tools including physics and satellite imagery to study penguin populations in Antarctica and associated island groups including in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, is one of six international recipients of the 2022 fellowship, which includes $150,000 over three years, and is a mid-career prize.

Lynch plans to use the funds to chronicle species health in the macaroni and king penguin and forecast risks to Antarctica’s penguin populations.

Lynch’s work is “really important,” said Claire Christian, Executive Director of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), who nominated Lynch for the fellowship. Lynch provides the kind of information “we need to make effective decisions about protecting Antarctica.”

Christian, who has known Lynch for about five years, said Lynch’s consistent commitment helps “provide a broader picture of what’s happening down there over a longer time frame.”

Christian is particularly pleased that Lynch’s work in the Antarctic brings necessary attention to the region, even though “it’s far away at the end of the world,” she said. “People understand that [the Antarctic] is worth investing time and resources into studying.”

The Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation provides recipients with an opportunity to interact with other winners and alumni. This year, the Pew Trust received over 50 nominees.

Past honorees at Stony Brook University include Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Sciences at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Ellen Pikitch and Endowed Research Chair for Nature and Humanity Carl Safina.

Jane Lubchenco, who won a Pew Fellowship in marine conservation in the 1992, was the first woman to lead the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and is the current Deputy Director for Climate and Environment in the White House.

Rebecca Goldburg, Director of Environmental Sciences at the Pew Charitable Trusts, appreciates the mixture of high-level research Lynch produces and the application of her discoveries to conservation and added that Lynch has “outstanding scientific achievement that is well-integrated into decision making.”

Climate change

While researchers haven’t broadly chronicled the movement of macaroni penguins into the Antarctic, Lynch anticipates that climate change would draw them into the Antarctic.

“My hope is that a focus on macaroni penguin census data will illuminate their trends,” she explained in an email.

King penguins, meanwhile, have recently arrived in the Antarctic. The presence of king penguins would represent a turning point for Lynch, as they would suggest that the Antarctic is starting to show ecological similarities with the sub-Antarctic.

King penguins have attempted to breed on Elephant Island, which is about 800 miles from their typical habitat in South Georgia. While this species of penguin has traveled this distance in prior years, their decision to settle and try to raise chicks, which they haven’t successfully done, is “new and ecologically interesting,” Lynch explained.

Lynch suggested such a geographic expansion is rare because these birds are long-lived and an established pair will breed in the same location for years. Even in young individuals traveling to new territories, the rate of range shift is slow and hard to track.

“The movement of king penguins into Antarctica is exactly what would have been predicted and so it is an exciting (if, from a climate perspective, disturbing) time to be watching this all unfold,” she said.

King penguins can form large colonies, which could, over the course of a longer period of time, create competition for space with chinstraps. Lynch suggested that the region could be in the early days of an ecologically important event.

Where’s Waldo?

As for macaroni penguins, whose stories about how they got their name include one involving a sailor slang for men who dressed in bright colors, they have frequently been the “Where’s Waldo?” of what Lynch does, she said, as she encounters them by chance in a colony of another species.

She is pulling together several decades of offhand notes about her findings on macaronis to track them systematically. She believes collecting information about populations of macaroni and king penguins in Antarctica is going to be informative.

In analyzing penguin populations across species, Lynch plans to take the kind of approach portfolio managers apply when they consider where to focus their attention.

A mutual fund manager with a large percentage of the value of the fund linked to changes in the stock price of Apple would likely track the earnings of the company and its share price more closely than stocks in which she has smaller holdings or whose values don’t fluctuate much.

For penguins, Lynch suggested that scientists and conservationists may “need to understand those colonies, and there may not be that many, that contain a large percentage of the world’s population,” she said.

For a long time, researchers have focused on colonies that were easier to study because they were small and close by. “I don’t think we can justify that approach anymore,” Lynch said.

Picking penguin spots

Goldburg appreciates Lynch’s framework for penguin conservation.

Lynch will address the “key penguin colonies,” some of which are contributing disproportionately to the risk of penguin declines, Goldburg said. This approach will enable conservationists to monitor important sites because they “can’t do everything.” 

Understanding penguin populations goes beyond a simple rule that more of any population is necessarily better. Major increases or decreases should be cause for concern because they reflect shifts in the functioning of the ecosystem, she explained.

Christian is confident the work Lynch does will provide policy makers with key information.

“Her work is really important and it deserves to have a lot of visibility and funding,” Christian said. “Without understanding what’s happening to species that are living down there, we can’t” design effective strategies to protect them and their ecosystems.

Lynch provides the kind of information necessary to “make effective decisions about protecting Antarctica,” Christian added.

by -
0 1107
Pixabay photo

By Nancy Burner, Esq.

Nancy Burner, Esq.

Although cryptocurrencies like bitcoin have gone mainstream, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were relatively unknown until 2021. You may have heard about “Bored Apes,” “Crypto Kitties” or that artist Beeple sold an NFT for $69 million. If you do not exactly understand what an NFT is, you are not alone.

Unlike cash, which is interchangeable, non-fungible items are one of a kind. An NFT is a unique digital asset built on a blockchain that comes with the right to use it. An NFT can be a photograph, animation, graphic image, video, meme, tweet, or anything digital. The value of the NFT lies in its uniqueness, which is attributable to its traceability on the blockchain.

The easiest to understand use of NFTs is when they represent real-world assets or serve as certificates of authenticity. For example, Nike distributing an NFT with every sneaker to protect against counterfeiting. Owning a multi-million dollar digitally generated avatar is a bit harder to grasp. But 1 out of 10 Americans invested in NFTs in 2021, so even if the appeal escapes you, the concept of scarcity should be familiar.

What to do if your grandson gifts you an NFT for Christmas or grandma sends an NFT as a birthday present? Keep the password safe! NFTs reside in “digital” wallets, which are stored on a computer, flash drive, or an app on your phone. You must have the private key or seed phrase (at least 12 unrelated words) to access the wallet. This private phrase is the only way to retrieve the NFT.

Whether you buy the NFT or it is gifted, the basis in the asset is the purchase price. Just like stock or real estate, the basis (purchase price) is used to calculate the capital gain or loss for tax purposes when the item is sold. Likewise, the NFT gets a step up in basis to fair market value at the owner’s death.

NFTs pass like any other asset at death — if you can find them. Unless the private key is known, there is no way of accessing and gaining ownership. We recommend redundancy. Write the phrase down and store it some place safe, keep it in a password protected file on a computer and flash drive. Since there is no central repository to verify ownership of an NFT, we advise clients to make specific bequests of an NFT in their wills. Calling attention to it ensures that the Executor at least knows of its existence. Do not include the password of course, since a will becomes public after probate!

You can also hold an NFT in a Trust or Limited Liability Company (LLC). An NFT cannot be retitled in the name of a Trust — but you can transfer the NFT on paper, much like we do with stocks and LLC interests. Some practitioners champion using an LLC because it is easier to transfer compared to transferring the NFT on the blockchain. However, avoiding recording the transfer on the public ledger defeats the purpose of transparency and authenticity. There are other advantages to an LLC to consider, such as transfer tax discounts and asset protection.

The future use, value, and regulation of NFTs is unknowable. Perhaps one day your Last Will & Testament will be stored in a digital wallet. For now, just make sure to disclose NFTs to your estate planning attorney, so she can incorporate them into your estate plan.

Nancy Burner, Esq. is the founder and managing partner of Burner Law Group, P.C. focusing her practice areas on Estate Planning, Elder Law and Trusts and Estates. Burner Law Group P.C. serves clients from Manhattan to the east end of Long Island with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, NYC and East Hampton.Visit www.burnerlaw.com.

by -
0 381

The following incidents have been reported by the Suffolk County Police:

Centereach

■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a shoplifter on March 4. A man allegedly stole four car batteries with a total value of $325.

■ A resident on Chevy Drive in Centereach reported that someone entered their vehicle parked in the driveway on March 8 and stole an iPhone, Nintendo Switch games, gift cards, a pocketbook, and sunglasses. The items were valued over $500.

Commack

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported two shoplifters on March 10. A man and a woman allegedly stole 9 sets of LED lights worth about $170.

East Northport

■ A resident on Jameson Court in East Northport called the police on March 10 to report that cash had been removed from his unlocked vehicle which had been parked in the driveway.

■ A resident on Lilan Court in East Northport reported that his 2007 Lexus ES350 was stolen on March 10. The keys had been left in the unlocked vehicle which had a value of $7,000.

■ A resident on Honey Lane in East Northport reported that his rental car, a 2021 Nissan Sentra, was stolen from his driveway on March 10. A second set of keys may have been left inside the vehicle which was valued at $21,000.

■ A resident on Cori Lane in East Northport called the police to report that his unlocked car had been entered on March 10 and a wallet containing credit cards and gift cards had been removed.

Fort Salonga

■ A resident on Deauville Court in Fort Salonga called the police on March 7 to report that his 2011 BMW had been stolen the night before. The vehicle was valued at $10,000.

Hauppauge

■ A resident on Dewberry Place in Hauppauge reported that someone stole a pocketbook with cash, credit and debit cards from their vehicle on March 11.

■ A resident on Pine Hollow Road in Hauppauge called the police on March 9 to report that a man allegedly stole two Amazon packages from his doorstep. The incident was captured by the homeowner’s Ring security camera. The suspect fled in a waiting beige Toyota Camry. The merchandise was valued at $80.

■ A resident on Northfield Road in Hauppauge reported that a man allegedly stole an Amazon package from his doorstep on March 9. The incident was captured on video. The value of the merchandise was $60.

Huntington Station

■ Two men allegedly stole an electric bike, a Ninja Power Pitcher blender and four Old Spice from Target on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station on March 8. The merchandise was valued at approximately $640.

■ Victoria Secret at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on March 10. A man allegedly stole 48 pairs of women’s underwear valued at $960.

■ Target on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station called the police on March 8 to report a petit larceny. A man entered the store with a blue bag, allegedly filled it up with seven prepaid cell phones worth $725, and walked out without paying.

■ Macy’s at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station reported a grand larceny on March 9. A man allegedly stole 19 handbags from a storage room in the store. The merchandise was valued at $8,550.

■ Target on East Jericho Turnpike In Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on March 9. A man allegedly stole two vacuum cleaners worth $596 and a Nespresso machine worth $380.

Kings Park

■ A resident on Hawthorne Avenue in Kings Park reported that someone broke into his vehicle on March 10 and stole assorted tools and equipment. The items were valued at approximately $2,000.

Lake Grove

■ Victoria Secret’s PINK store at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported a petit larceny on March 10. A man and two women entered the store, allegedly filled up a shopping bag with 10 articles of miscellaneous clothing worth approximately $1,000, and walked out without paying.

Miller Place

■ Vincenzo’s Pizzeria and Restaurant on Route 25A in Miller Place called the police to report a burglary on March 7. Someone threw a rock through the front glass door, entered the restaurant and stole cash from the register in the middle of the night.

■ A resident on Harrison Avenue in Miller Place reported that someone stole mail from their mailbox on March 3.

Port Jefferson

■ A resident on Hillcrest Avenue in Port Jefferson called the police on March 3 to report that a 7.2 FX Trek Bike had been stolen from his open garage. The bicycle was valued at approximately $600.

Port Jefferson Station

■ Seven copper wire rolls and two nail guns were stolen from a construction site at Brightview Senior Living on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station on March 10. The items were valued at $3,200.

Rocky Point

■ A resident on Friendship Drive in Rocky Point reported that someone broke the passenger window of his vehicle parked in their driveway on March 7 and stole medical equipment and supplies worth approximately $500. The cost to fix the window was $200.

■ A resident on Dawn Road in Rocky Point called the police on March 7 to report that his vehicle had been broken into and assorted items were stolen. Entry was gained through the vehicle’s passenger window.

St. James

■ Sal’s Auto Body on Middle Country Road in St. James called the police on March 11 to report that 8 vehicles parked on the property were damaged, 5 windows were broken and 11 tires and rims were stolen. The damage was estimated at approximately $8,000. The stolen property was valued at $15,000.

Selden

■ Guitar Center on Middle Country Road in Selden reported that two men allegedly stole three Fender guitars from the store on March 4. The total value of the items was $3,430.

■ A resident on Farner Avenue in Selden called the police on March 10 to reported that a man stole packages containing men’s clothing from their doorstep. The incident was recorded on the homeowner’s Ring security camera. The merchandise was valued at $300.

■ Aldi on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on March 11. A woman allegedly stole six cases of Tide Pods and three bottles of Downy Unstopables. The merchandise was valued at $90.

Smithtown 

■ A resident on Flamingo Drive in Smithtown called the police on March 8 to report that someone had broken into his vehicle and removed two pairs of Ray-Ban sunglasses valued at $240 and cash.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

by -
0 305
Pixabay photo

In an increasingly modern, information-based economy, survival requires an ability to adapt to the changing environment.

On the other hand, those who shrink in the face of change will have the hardest time navigating this new normal. This week, TBR News Media was fortunate to speak with several leaders throughout our area. Their warning was the same: Long Island is still unprepared to meet the demands of the 21st century.

Martin Cantor, director of the Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy, shared with us the history of mass transit systems on Long Island.

Sometime during the suburbanization of Long Island, regional planners failed to account for population increase and the great many cars to accompany it. Today, we pay the cost of failed planning in the form of cluttered roads and endless traffic.

 So reliant are we on our cars, some well-intentioned reformers now suggest that we transition to electric cars here on Long Island — and throughout the country. This, too, has its drawbacks.

Kevin Beyer, vice president of government affairs at the Long Island Gasoline Retailers Association, said the push for electric vehicles is unrealistic and expensive. The grid simply cannot accommodate an overnight increase of millions of electric vehicles, and we shouldn’t expect it to.

The Long Island parkway system is nearly a century old, yet our commuters rely upon this infrastructure every day to get to work. Without a modernized mass transit network, Long Island commuters must choose between cramped train cars or congested highway traffic. We expect antiquated transit networks to support today’s mass of commuters.

Time and again, Long Islanders apply outdated methods to modern problems. This is like building a jet engine with stone tools.

Not all hope is lost, however. For example, look no further than Smithtown’s Office of Town Clerk, where you will find that the transition from old to new technologies is already underway. For the last 16 years, Town Clerk Vincent Puleo (C) has worked to digitize paper records for electronic filing. This has made the day-to-day operations of the office faster, simpler and more accessible to his constituents.

We need to apply Puleo’s approach elsewhere. We must update our transportation systems to account for the many more drivers on our roads today. We must invest in mass transit, such as buses and boats for commuter travel, so that we are no longer helplessly delayed.

 We must embrace the changes happening all around us, for change is the only constant in this life. And with all of that being said, we should remember and learn from the ways of the past. Let history be our guide as we move ahead into the world of the new.

by -
0 1244
Inflammatory responses are at the heart of allergy symptoms        

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

After last week’s extended blast of winter, we’re all looking forward to warmer weather. This past weekend, we adjusted our clocks for Daylight Saving Time, the unofficial end of winter. We’re just a few weeks out from tree buds and daffodil sprouts. What joy!

However, for people who suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis, hay fever, seasonal allergies or whatever you would like to call it, life is about to get miserable.

Just over 19 million U.S. adults were diagnosed with seasonal allergies in 2018, and an additional 5.2 million children were diagnosed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1).

The triggers for seasonal allergies are diverse. They include pollen from leafy trees and shrubs, grass and flowering plants, as well as weeds, with the majority from ragweed (mostly in the fall) and fungus (summer and fall) (2).

What triggers allergic reactions? 

A chain reaction occurs in seasonal allergy sufferers. When foreign substances such as allergens (pollen, in this case) interact with immunoglobulin E (IgE), antibodies that are part of our immune system, they cause mast cells in the body’s tissues to degrade and release inflammatory mediators. These include histamines, leukotrienes and eosinophils in those who are susceptible. In other words, it is an allergic inflammatory response.

The revved up immune system then responds with sneezing; red, itchy and watery eyes; scratchy throat; congestion; sinus headaches; postnasal drip; runny nose; diminished taste and smell; and even coughing (3). Basically, it emulates a cold, but without the virus. If symptoms last more than 10 days and are recurrent, then it is more than likely you have allergies.

If allergic rhinitis is not properly treated, complications such as ear infections, sinusitis, irritated throat, insomnia, chronic fatigue, headaches and even asthma can result (4).

Treating allergies with medications

The best way to treat allergy attacks is to prevent them, but this can mean closing yourself out from the enjoyment of spring by literally closing the windows, using the air-conditioning, and using recycling vents in your car.

On the medication side, we have intranasal glucocorticoids (steroids), oral antihistamines, allergy shots, decongestants, antihistamine and decongestant eye drops, and leukotriene modifiers (second-line treatment only).

The guidelines for treating seasonal allergic rhinitis with medications suggest that intranasal corticosteroids (steroids) should be used when quality of life is affected. If there is itchiness and sneezing, then second-generation oral antihistamines may be appropriate (5). Two well-known inhaled steroids are Nasacort (triamcinolone) and Flonase (fluticasone propionate). While inhaled steroids are probably most effective in treating and preventing symptoms, they need to be used every day and do have side effects.

Oral antihistamines, on the other hand, can be taken on an as-needed basis. Second-generation antihistamines, such as loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec) and fexofenadine (Allegra), have less sleepiness as a side effect than first-generation antihistamines.

Possible alternative treatments

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), an herb, has several small studies that indicate its efficacy in treating hay fever. In one randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 131 patients, results showed that butterbur was as effective as cetirizine (Zyrtec) in treating this disorder (6).

In another RCT, results showed that high doses of butterbur — 1 tablet given three times a day for two weeks — was significantly more effective than a placebo (7). Researchers used butterbur Ze339 (carbon dioxide extract from the leaves of Petasites hybridus L., 8 mg petasines per tablet) in the trial.

A post-marketing follow-up study of 580 patients showed that, with butterbur Ze339, symptoms improved in 90 percent of patients with allergic rhinitis over a two-week period (8). Gastrointestinal upset occurred as the most common side effect in 3.8 percent of the population.

The caveats to the use of butterbur are several. First, the studies were short in duration. Second, the leaf extract used in these studies was free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). This is very important, since PAs may not be safe. Third, the dose was well-measured, which may not be the case with over-the-counter extracts. Fourth, there are interactions with some prescription medications.

Can you treat allergies with diet?

While there are no significant studies on diet, there is one review of literature that suggests that a plant-based diet may reduce symptoms of allergies, specifically rhinoconjunctivitis, affecting the nose and eyes, as well as eczema and asthma. This is according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood study in 13- to 14-year-old teens (9). In my clinical practice, I have seen patients who suffer from seasonal allergies improve and even reverse the course of allergies over time with a vegetable-rich, plant-based diet, possibly due to its anti-inflammatory effect.

While allergies can be miserable, there are a significant number of over-the-counter and prescription options to help reduce symptoms. Diet may play a role in the disease process by reducing inflammation, though there are no formal studies. There does seem to be promise with some herbs, especially butterbur. However, alternative supplements and herbs lack large, randomized clinical trials with long durations. Always consult your doctor before starting any supplements, herbs or over-the-counter medications.

References: 

(1) CDC.gov. (2) acaai.org/allergies/types/pollen-allergy. (3) J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003 Dec;112(6):1021-31.. (4) J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 Jan;125(1):16-29.. (5) Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Feb;2:197-206. (6) BMJ 2002;324:144. (7) Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004 Dec;130(12):1381-6. (8) Adv Ther. Mar-Apr 2006;23(2):373-84. (9) Eur Respir J. 2001;17(3):436-443.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com. 

by -
0 1738
Dr. Henry Tannous during surgery. Photo from SBU

By Daniel Dunaief

While she hasn’t resolved the debate about two approaches to a type of heart surgery, Laurie Shroyer, Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Surgery at Stony Brook University’s Renaissance School of Medicine, has contributed considerable information over a long period of time.

Laurie Shroyer. Photo from SBU

In a recent study released in JAMA Surgery, Shroyer, who is the principal investigator and co-PIs Fred Grover and Brack Hattler of the Rocky Mountain Regional Affairs Medical Center, revealed that coronary artery bypass grafting had similar post-surgical death rates for the veterans in their study whether the surgeon used a heart-lung machine, called “on pump,” or performed the surgery without the machine, called “off pump.”

Using long-term results from 2,203 mostly men at 18 VA Centers in the Department of Veterans Affairs Randomized On/Off Bypass (ROOBY) trial, Shroyer determined that the death rate at 10 years was 34.2 percent for off-pump, compared with 31.1 percent for on-pump.

Patients typically need bypass graft surgery when they have a narrowing of their coronary arteries, which comes from fatty material accumulating in the walls of the arteries. Doctors take a part of a healthy blood vessel from the leg, wrist or elsewhere and bypass the blockage, building a detour for the blood and enabling better circulation in the heart.

Using the “off pump” procedure means doctors operate on a heart that’s still pumping blood through the body. The “on pump” procedure uses a heart lung machine to pump blood while the heart remains still.

While the results of this study don’t end the debate over whether one procedure is superior to another, doctors welcomed the data as a well-researched and detailed analysis.

“There’s always going to be this ever-last question of whether off versus on pump bypass surgery is better,” said Dr. Henry Tannous, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. “There’s always going to be very little nuances with different patients that will make us pick one or the other.”

Dr. Tannous who has performed the majority of all bypass surgeries at Stony Brook over the last five years, said the hospital offers surgeries with and without the pump. SB has doctors who specialize in each kind of bypass in case of a change in the expected procedure.

Doctors typically get a clear sense of whether a patient might benefit from on or off pump procedures before starting surgeries. In the great majority of cases, doctors perform the surgery according to their pre-planned expectations for the use of the pump.

Rarely, they convert to the other procedure based on inter operative findings that dictate the switch, Dr. Tannous explained.

Dr. Jorge Balauger, Associate Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Director of Advanced Coronary Surgery, has performed 4,000 CABG procedures, including about 1,000 without the heart lung machine, or “off pump.”

In his considerable experience, he suggested that an 80-year old, who has renal or liver dysfunction and/or arteries in his or her neck that are partially blocked or had another type of comorbidity, such as something in the bone marrow, would not tolerate a heart lung machine well. A person with cirrhosis also would likely be better served with an off pump operation.

“Avoiding the heart lung machine on the older, sick patients is beneficial,” Dr. Balauger said, adding that he looks at the CABG procedure as being akin to a “tailor made suit” that has to fit the patient specifically.

In cases where patients need a second bypass procedure, Dr. Balauger also recommends off pump efforts because a second operation on pump is “way more complex” and requires “dissection of all the scar tissue around the heart, which makes it not only time consuming, but also risky.”

Dr. Henry Tannous. Photo from SBU

Dr. Tannous appreciates the perspective Shroyer brings to the discussion. “Sometimes, it’s an asset to have a researcher and statistician with a very scientifically oriented mind lead the study,” he said, adding that when surgeons meet with patients, they will discuss the use of the pump.

Dr. Baulager described the trial conducted by Shroyer as having an “excellent design” from a scientific standpoint.

He believed, however, that the study didn’t include surgeons who had sufficient expertise in off pump procedures. Dr. Baulager thought more experienced surgeons likely ensured better outcomes for off pump procedures.

One aspect of the study that was “refreshing” to Shroyer was how durable the surgical procedure is, with about 70 percent of patients who received this procedure, both on and off pump, still experiencing improvements in their pre-surgical chest pain symptoms after 10 years.

“We never expected the high proportion of patients would do so well longer term in terms of freedom from events, and in terms of symptoms,” she said. “The fact that the symptoms weren’t different between on and off pump is good news.”

After this type of study, Shroyer will work with several other trials to identify if certain sub-groups of high risk patients may have benefits from an off pump procedure.

To be sure, Shroyer cautioned that these results couldn’t be extrapolated to the general population, especially to women, as almost all of those the study followed were men.“Veterans are a unique population,” she said. “Many received cigarettes as part of their rations, and hypertension is quite high. They are a different population in terms of their [health care] complexities and their [underlying] illnesses.”

While the 10 year outcomes were similar, Shroyer found a shorter revascularization-free survival period among off pump patients. 

Dr. Tannous said this kind of study would generate considerable interest among cardiac surgeons.

“Everything [Shroyer] has written about bypass surgery from the ROOBY trials will catch any cardiac surgeon’s attention nationwide,” he said. “This paper is not any different. It has the extra long-term follow up that makes it more relevant.”

by -
0 915
METRO photo

By Michael Christodoulou

Michael Christodoulou
Michael Christodoulou

As an investor, your own decisions will be the biggest factor in your success. Nonetheless, you’ll always want to consider the potential power of external events. And today is no different — with the lingering effects of the pandemic, the geopolitical situation in Ukraine, the impact of inflation and the rise in interest rates, you might be grappling with feelings of uneasiness. How should you respond?

First of all, remember that the financial markets have shown great resilience through wars, recessions, natural disasters and political crises — events as serious as what’s going on now.

Nonetheless, you could still feel some discomfort when you’re bombarded by anxiety-producing news of the day. But you don’t have to go it alone. Many people have found support and guidance from a financial professional to be especially valuable in turbulent times. 

In fact, more than three-fourths of investors who work with a financial advisor are very or somewhat confident in their knowledge of the impact on the economy on their financial situations, according to a recent survey from Morning Consult, a research and data analysis company. By comparison, the same survey found that only about half of the adults in the general population have this degree of confidence.

Specifically, a financial professional can help you:

Reduce the tendency toward emotion-driven investing. It’s usually not a good idea to let emotions be a primary driver of your investment decisions. For example, if you let fear drive your choices, you could end up selling quality investments — ones that still have good prospects and are still suitable for your needs — when their prices have fallen, just to “cut losses.” A financial professional can help you make informed moves appropriate for your goals.

Put investment results in context. You may wonder why your investment portfolio’s performance doesn’t track that of a major index, such as the S&P 500. But if you maintain a diversified portfolio — and you should — you’ll own investments that fall outside any single index. So, instead of using an index as a benchmark, you should assess whether your portfolio’s performance is keeping you on track toward your individual goals. A financial professional can help you with this task and suggest appropriate changes if it appears you are falling behind.

Recognize investment trends and patterns. If you invest for several decades, you’ll likely see all kinds of event in the financial markets. You’ll see “corrections,” in which investment prices fall 10 percent or more in a short period of time, you’ll see “bear markets,” in which the downturn is even greater, and you’ll see bull markets, in which prices can rise, more or less steadily, for years at a time. A financial professional can help you recognize these trends and patterns — and this knowledge can make it much easier for you to maintain a long-term perspective, which lead to informed decision-making.

Gain feelings of control. Most important of all, a financial professional can enable you to gain a feeling of control over your future by helping you identify your important goals and recommending strategies for achieving them.

The world, and the financial markets, will always be full of events that can be unsettling to investors. But by getting the help you need, you can reduce the stress from your investment experience — and you’ll find it’s easier to keep moving in the direction you want to go.

Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook. Member SIPC.

Prev1...167168169...429Next Page 168 of 429
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©